Chapter 13

Horatio was feeling great. With pleasure he got stuck into the paperwork, he couldn't finish because of Stetler. He was glad that the gap between Yelina and him has been overcome. And he was really looking forward this evening.

About one hour later, the last report was signed up and he went to the firearms lab to pick up Calleigh. He leaned against the doorframe with a big smile in his face. He wore his sunglasses, so that she couldn't see the radiance in his eyes.

"Are you ready, honey? Shift is over."

"Oh, Lieutenant your appointment has already finished?" she asked sarcastically. "He can't even look into my eyes. And when I see that smile in his face, I'll get sick."

"Yep, it finished an hour ago. How was your conversation with Stetler?"

"Informative."

"Hm? Can't follow you, honey."

"Oh, I mean that in applying to the report."

"I see!"

"How was your appointment? Everything alright?"

"Better than I thought" he smiled.

"Yes, I saw that."

"Shall we go?" He hand her his hand.

"Well if you have time for me and nothing to do otherwise" she said snappish and passed him by.

"Ehm, Cal? What's wrong with you?" He looked after her in waiting of a reply, but there was none. He followed her with fast steps. "What's wrong with her?" He caught up with her at the car.

"May am I allowed to find out what's going on with you?"

"Nothing." She got into the car.

"Weird." Hethought while shaking his head He took the drivers' seat and drove off.

They stayed silent the whole way back to his home. Horatio has tried more than once to start a conversation, but he failed miserably.

"That's not the way I planned this evening" he thought.

But he was not the only one who was concerned about this situation.

"I can't believe he did that to me. He is a liar. And now he feigns that he is interested in me."

They stopped at his house and both got out of the car. He opened the door and she stepped into the house without a word.

"So, there is something wrong. Come on, tell me Cal."

"It's nothing."

"Then I can't understand your spurning behaviour."

"You're such a good investigator Horatio, you will find out by your own." She went to the kitchen and got a glass of water to calm herself down, but it didn't work. He stayed with an open mouth in the living room. She came back and wanted to sit down on the sofa, but he held her tight.

"Please, let me go." It was more an entreaty than annoyed.

Immediately he let her go.

"So it has something to do with me." This wasn't a question, it was a conclusion. "What have I done?"

"Can't you think of something?"

"I wish I could do so" he looked into her eyes, she seemed to be hurt, but why?

"How is it possible to be so nervy?" "I know about it."

"You know it? Who told you?"

"Well from Stetler and from what I saw."

"I don't understand. She can't know about my intend." "Stetler?"

"Yes. Why didn't you tell me Horatio? How can you be so perfidious?" She went more and more angry.

"Perfidious? Me? Explain yourself, damn." He was annoyed.

"You and Yelina. I can't believe it. I'm your second choice, if you won't get the other woman? I can do without that, Horatio" she screamed. She wanted to leave, but he held her back.

"I don't know what to say."

"The least you can do is say you're sorry, Horatio."

"I couldn't tell you, not yet."

"Not yet? So you had the purpose to play this game longer? Here Horatio, I don't need it any longer." She opened her purse and took out a small item. With one last evil look at him she threw it towards a totally perplexed Horatio, who failed to catch it.

"What's the meaning of this? I had the purpose to tell you about the thing with Yelina, but I had the feeling that it was too early."

"Too early? I can't believe it. I would have expected that from Hagen, but not from you."

"To be honest, I can't see your problem."

She slapped in his face.

"You want to know, what you can do? Least you can do is give me back my heart."

Before he could answer, she was away. He still had his hand on his cheek, which started to ache. "This woman has a stroke." He still stood there jittery.

"For heaven's sake, what have I done? Actually this evening should be a special one." He looked down to the floor. There lay his key. "And now it's over? Why?" Within he felt dead. He went to the bar and poured himself a whisky. Horatio Caine never really cries, but now he was short before that. He felt sick.

He went to bed, which no longer felt like it had before. It felt empty. Like he felt inside, totally empty.

tbc

A/N Thanks for the Reviews. Hope you enjoy the chapter as far as possible.